Anandi: Press

“With a versatile voice, both smoky and sweet, Anandi ("Forever Days," Lake Lady Music), manages to sound as brightly polished as a new penny while keeping her soul intact. Shades of Rickie Lee Jones, Sheryl Crow and other righteous ladies peek through, but it would appear Anandi has her own self wired tight. ...” -May 2003

Anandi impressed a great many reviewers with her last release (The Mirror)...and for good reason. That album established this young lady as a real contender in the world of soul-infected pop. Forever Days picks up where The Mirror left off...and offers even more substantive proof of Anandi's impressive capabilities. Playing the game her own way...without using gimmicks...and without an outrageous image...Anandi manages to captivate and entertain based purely on her own talents (as well as the assistance of Brad Craig on various instruments, Genji Siraisi on drums. and guest artists Dennis Martin, Steve Mayone, and Karla Schiemann). Anandi's music sounds like the more soulful side of Kate Bush...or the more restrained side of Joan Armatrading. But make no mistake, this lady's voice is purely her own...and what a voice she has (!). Anandi delivers the twelve tunes on Forever Days with compassion, sincerity, and true style. Our favorite cuts are "Forever Days," "Know Better," "Always a Child," and "All In It's Own Time." A wonderfully satisfying album. (Rating: 5+)
June 2003

Born in Los Angeles into a musical family, Anandi grew up writing songs and eventually found herself in Boston performing. Her debut CD was met with airplay and media attention, and her second release, The Mirror, promises to be all that and more.

"Enough of you" starts the album with some Alison Pipitone-style blues. Her gentle but raw voice meets a gritty, sliding guitar. The instrumentation would seem to suggest a country sound, but her style is more Americana pop. "Cheyenne" gets soft and sweet. The ballad is supported by rootsy bass and minimal drums. The dreamy "How Sweet It Was" has a Shawn Colvin feel. Just a touch of background vocals gives upbeat "Down So Long" an elegant, hopeful quality. "Forgiveness" playfully gets down with the retro sound of an organ.

The Mirror is a wonderful introduction to Anandi's songwriting diversity and production talent. She produced the album with Brad Craig who plays nearly every instrument imaginable.

"...weaves together confessional pop ballads, down and dirty rock & roll, laid back Americana-blues and traditional soul. Her sweet vocals and easygoing melodies often call to mind Rickie Lee Jones, an early influence of Anandi's, and her personal verses run the gamut from tender to steamy.” May 2003

“Consider Anandi…Her music sounds like your average coffee-shop folk stuff, right? Wrong.”
June, 2002

“So many female singer-songwriters name Joni Mitchell as an influence…Anandi is one of the few with enough melodic flair to live up to the comparison. Anandi’s debut recording, Melody of Question, a five-song EP, is a sophisticated genre-jumping effort. It’s dipped in modern jazz, emotionally available, open to the senses, ruminative about love…Anandi’s lyrical, lush yet uncluttered sound seems a throw-back to more melodic times…”
March 1999

“A rich, dusky voice, poignant lyricism and just a touch of sadness to make the blues go down right…The Mirror’s heart and soul is in soulful – and blissful –contemplation. A solid album all the way through.
May 2002

“When she floats her voice up into her high range or lays on the vibrato, Anandi recalls Joni Mitchell; elsewhere recent Bonnie Raitt (pop ballad Bonnie, not blues belter Bonnie) comes to mind. Her songs are well-crafted pop, spiffily arranged, focused always on her vocals but held together by moderately uncommon chord progressions carried attractively on guitar or keyboards…”
January 2003